


Everything

by Miss_Romance_Lover



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, another wedding fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-21 03:07:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11935032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Romance_Lover/pseuds/Miss_Romance_Lover
Summary: "I couldn’t give you everything, couldn’t give you all of me. And now I want to.”Paddy is best man, Cain plays chauffeur, and the grooms are a pair of soppy idiots...but it's allowed because it's their wedding day.





	Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Based on discussions on the DS forum about who might be Aaron's best man if Adam leaves before a second wedding can take place. I imagined Paddy being his usual bumbling self in the role, and then the rest of this piece took on a life of it's own. I haven't explained why Adam is absent here but I know I'm not the first to go with the 'on the run' theory. Anyway the majority of this is just excessive fluffiness, so I hope you enjoy.

“Aaron?” Paddy’s voice was demanding, but with an edge of panic. It was a tone of voice that had defined the early years of his relationship with the young man he looked upon as a son.

Of course in those days, he had mainly been using that tone to talk some sense into Aaron when he needed it – something that had been a regular occurrence. And at the time, never did Paddy ever imagine that one day he would be doing ‘the voice’ in order to prepare them for Aaron’s wedding day. 

“Aaron!” He added a touch more authority to his voice as he made his way upstairs, having abandoned his makeshift bed on the sofa. Liv had just left to go to Chas’s, and thankfully Paddy had heard her on her way out otherwise he’d still be dead to the world.

“What kind of best man are you, forgetting to set an alarm?” she had asked as he’d jolted awake.

“I did set one!” he shouted back. “At least, I…I thought I did.” 

Liv had ignored him, already halfway out the door and calling out that she’d see them both at the pub.

Managing to make it up the spiral staircase in one piece (“whose idea was that thing, it’s a death trap!” he’d pointed out recently. Aaron had shrugged, while Robert’s eyes seem to suggest he agreed, not that Paddy knew the story behind it) he barged into Aaron’s bedroom. “Aaron! Come on, up!”

The younger man shifted in the bed and turned over. He cracked an eye open and sleepily glanced at the clock on his bedside table. Within seconds he was fully alert and out of bed. “How is that the time?” Aaron exclaimed. “Paddy, you said we’d have plenty of time! What happened to the alarm?”

“I…er,” Paddy stuttered, before regaining control of himself. “Look, I don’t know, alright! Maybe I had too many beers last night and thought I’d set it, but…forget that. Come on, get a move on!” he was pushing Aaron out the door towards the bathroom. 

“Alright, alright!” Aaron replied, letting himself be shoved into action. “Keep your hair on,” he added with a wink as he shut the door behind him.

“Oi! Cheeky git,” Paddy called back, but he was laughing even as he shook his head. Heading back to the bedroom, he did a quick check to make sure that Aaron’s suit was hanging up, which it was. Then he decided to raid the kitchen in search of something for breakfast, satisfied when he found the fridge stocked with enough bacon for a couple of butties.

He was just plating them up when Aaron appeared, dressed in a dark blue suit. “Oh, sure, help yourself mate!” he teased when he saw Paddy taking a bite full of bacon.

“Consider it payback, for all those times you ate me out of house and home over the road. Here,” he handed Aaron his own plateful and he took it gratefully.

“Cheers.” They ate in silence, until Paddy deposited his empty plate and looked over at him properly.

“Looking very smart. Nobody would guess you were such a chav when you first showed up here.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Paddy, do you even know what a chav is?”

“Yes! Well, I think so. It’s all, hoodies and gold chains and that, isn’t it? Hey, you remember when you used to tuck your trousers into your boots?”

He was laughing, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and dumping his own plate now. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Nothing,” Paddy said with a fond smile. “It’s just you. Right, have I got time for a shower? What time do we need to be at the pub?”

Aaron checked his phone. “Mum’s text says Bernice is halfway through hair and makeup on her and Liv. So yeah, you’ve got time.”

“I’ve not messed up that badly then, with the alarm thing. Good. Okay, I’ll just…” trailing off in that usual awkward way of his, Paddy headed for the stairs again. 

Shaking his head fondly, Aaron smoothed down his suit and checked the time again. He was nervous this time around – not that he was having doubts, because he wasn’t. He just didn’t want anything to mess up the day, and he was desperate to get that ring back on his finger.

His phone buzzed, and he wondered if Robert had been thinking the same thing because he’d sent him a text:

‘Messed up forever – but hopefully not quite so messy this time! I can’t wait to see you x’

He felt the worries leaving him behind as he read the message, and his face began to ache with smiling as he typed back a quick reply:

‘Me too. You know x’

Robert texted back almost instantly. ‘I know x’ Aaron’s chest swelled with love for the man he would soon be able to officially call his husband.

Paddy returned to the lounge all suited and booted, and minutes later they were ready to go. As they walked over to the Woolpack, Paddy cleared his throat, and Aaron knew him well enough to sense what was coming.

“Mate, don’t, yeah?” he said quietly. 

Paddy raised an eyebrow. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t do the whole ‘are you sure you want to marry Robert?’ thing. ‘Cos I know what I want, and it’s him. It’s always gonna be him.”

“Right. That’s…I wasn’t actually going to try and talk you out of it, Aaron. I know he makes you happy, and despite his many, many faults,” Paddy emphasised, “I see how much he loves you. So I was just going to say, I’m really proud of you. Who’d have thought, eh? After all that time you spent torturing yourself, here you are.”

For a moment Aaron allowed himself to remember: that night he came out to Paddy, when he thought being gay was the end of the world. Trying to end it all rather than face up to it; thinking he would and could never fall in love. Fighting the chance to be happy because he thought he didn’t deserve it, or that it couldn’t last.

He remembered it all, and then with a deep breath, he let it go. “Yeah,” he said as they reached the pub. “Here I am.”

The backroom of the Woolie had been turned into a makeshift salon. Liv and Chas looked like they were all ready to go, while Bernice was just finishing up on Charity’s hair. Belle was doing her own makeup, and Lisa was pouring everyone glasses of bucks fizz, offering Paddy and Aaron a glass each when she spotted them wandering in.

Aaron barely had time to drink a mouthful when his mum was at his side, hugging him tightly. “Look at you in that suit!” she beamed as they pulled away, lowering her voice. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly? I feel good. Calm. I just want to see Robert.”

Chas knew then that she had no cause to worry about him. She thought she might burst with pride, and a quick glance at Paddy’s face told her he was feeling the same way. The moment was interrupted when Bernice, who had completed her duties, approached Aaron. She had heard him mentioning the other groom.

“I was over at Vic’s doing her and mum’s hair earlier,” she said with a sigh. “Robert couldn’t stop smiling. And neither can you by the look of it. You know, if I didn’t have Andy back I’d resent the pair of you for being so sickeningly happy. Lord knows you both deserve this though.”

Aaron grinned, proving her point. He emptied his glass and looked back at Bernice. “So has Andy told you anything? Am I going to find out where this wedding actually is? I know Rob won’t give me any hints so I’ve given up asking.”

She shrugged. “My lips are sealed. Sorry!” 

Aaron turned back to his mum, giving her a look that said ‘tell me’. Chas shook her head, trying not to smile. “Fine. I’ll let him have his moment. Him and his surprises,” he rolled his eyes, but the thrill of knowing that Robert wanted to do things like this for him never got old.

Everyone went through to the bar, where Zak, Cain and Sam were stood chatting. Cain was the only one not drinking a pint. “Keeping a clear head, seeing as I’m the wedding chauffeur,” he announced. 

“Chauffeur, eh?” Aaron chuckled. “Where’s your fancy hat?”

“Don’t push your luck. Sugden didn’t pay me enough for that.”

“He paid you?”

“I’m joking, as if I’d really profit from my own nephew’s wedding. I told him I’d do it for free so long as he never gives me another reason to break his legs.”

Aaron nodded. This was more than standard for Cain. “No car boots today, then?”

“Not unless you start giving me lip.” Then, towards the back he called out, “right, are we ready?” 

The rest of the Dingles headed off together, while Bernice presumably went back to join the Sugdens for the journey. Paddy, Liv, Chas and Aaron piled into Cain’s car and he started driving towards this mystery destination. 

Aaron couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him when Cain slowed outside a hotel and pulled in to park. The others looked at him, and Liv pretended to look put out. “Don’t tell me, there’s a soppy explanation behind this.”

Aaron didn’t answer, but gave her a helpless look that seemed to say ‘sorry kid, you’ll have to live with it today’. He took out his phone and texted Robert.

‘Are you here? x’

A reply came back straight away. ‘Of course x’

‘Meet me outside entrance x’ 

Once Aaron had sent that, and Cain had parked, he was the first to get out of the car. “I’ll see you all inside. I want five minutes with Robert.”

“Love, it’s bad luck before the--” Chas argued, but he cut her off.

“Mum, look at who you’re talking to,” he joked. “Go on, I won’t be long.”

She nodded, giving his hands a quick squeeze. Liv hugged him, and Paddy clapped him on the back. Cain offered him a nod, as was his usual way. Aaron left them and went ahead to the front of the hotel, where Robert was already waiting for him. His suit was also blue, but with a white shirt to contrast Aaron’s dark blue one. 

“So,” Aaron started as they drew closer. “This place?”

“Yeah. Is it…okay?”

He nodded. “What made you pick here?”

Robert took a shaky breath. “It just felt right. Being here with you back then, it was like our own little world for a bit, wasn’t it? Only I couldn’t give you everything, couldn’t give you all of me. And now I want to.”

Aaron rubbed at his eyes. “Don’t set me off already. I’ve got to get through the vows without crying yet. Soppy git.”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“I’ll tell you a secret. The last time we were here…that’s when I realised I loved you.”

Robert’s mouth dropped open. “Aaron,” was all he could say, the word falling out on a breath as he thought back to the night they had spent together three years before.

“I woke up in the night, when you were still sleeping,” Aaron explained, smiling at the memory. “You had your arm around me and you probably didn’t know you were doing it, but…just for a bit it didn’t feel like I had to share you. And I think that’s when I knew.”

Arms wrapping their way around Aaron’s waist, Robert pulled him closer and grazed their lips together. “Thank you for telling me that.”

“Yeah, well,” the younger man blushed, looking down briefly. “Then you starting kicking me in bed and I changed my mind!”

“You came so close to having a romantic moment there, Dingle.” Robert rolled his eyes, but the smile refused to leave his face. “I don’t know when I first knew I loved you,” he admitted. “It just crept up on me, and then one day I realised that you were the only thing that mattered to me. That loving you was the most important thing I was ever going to do.”

Aaron was transfixed by the words coming out of Robert’s mouth, but the moment was broken when someone walked past them to head into the hotel. “Er, you sure you haven’t just accidentally said all your vows early? You’ll have nothing left to say in there. Speaking of which, we should get inside.”

“No, those weren’t my vows. I didn’t plan on saying all that, you just got me thinking back. I won’t be short of things to say when I’m marrying you, don’t you worry.” Robert reached for Aaron’s hand. “Come on then, you. Shall we go get married?”

Aaron looked down at their joined hands and gave Robert’s a squeeze. His eyes flicked back to the man’s face, warmth flooding through him at the look of love on his face. “As if you have to ask,” he replied, and together they walked into the hotel.

*

He felt like he was floating. That was the only way Aaron could describe it. He was a legally married man and he had never realised how much it would mean to him until now. He watched as his husband teased his little sister, ruffling Liv’s hair affectionately until she was mock-glaring at him and trying to get her own back by flattening Robert’s own gelled hair. 

Aaron had to tear his eyes away from them when his phone pinged with an email. The sending address was unfamiliar but the contents of the email were not. There was only one person who ever called him ‘bro’.

‘Bro,

Happy Wedding Day. You know I’d be there if I could, giving an amazing best man’s speech (you never asked me before but I’m just going to assume I was first choice!) and taking the mick out of you for being so ridiculously and embarrassingly happy. 

I’ve got a pint in my hand and I’m raising a toast to you, mate. You and Robert. So, congratulations.

Ad’

He sat still for a minute, allowing himself for the first time all day to dwell on his best mate’s absence. Then he looked up to see Robert heading towards him, sitting down beside him. “Hey, you okay?”

Aaron smiled and handed him his phone, the email still open for him to read. Robert looked it over and passed it back, putting a comforting arm around his husband. “I’m sorry. I know you’re missing him.” 

“Yeah. At least he’s safe, though. And it doesn’t take away from any of this, though, you know? Today, I mean. It’s still been the best day. I just wish things were different so he could’ve been here.”

Robert gave his shoulders a brief squeeze. They were both quiet for a few beats, because what could he say to make that better? He couldn’t change anything for him. “Paddy’s not a great replacement, then?” he asked to lighten the subject a bit. Aaron wasn’t following, though. “As best man,” Robert added.

Aaron chuckled and they looked towards the bar where the man in question was nursing a pint and chatting away to Marlon. “Oh, he’s alright, the muppet,” he said with a roll of the eyes. “It’s not like there were any near-disasters today, were there? You’d never have known he forgot to set the alarm for this morning.”

“Did he?”

“You should’ve seen him, flapping about the place just like the old days when I was a moody teenager giving him all kinds of grief.”

Robert laughed. “You’re still moody, and your life’s not exactly drama-free these days either.”

“Shut up, you. The only thing I’m guilty of today is oversleeping.”

“I wouldn’t say that. You tried to throw me off my game earlier, didn’t you? Totally ambushed me with all that stuff outside about the last time we stayed here.”

Aaron leaned closer to him, their foreheads almost touching. “I meant it. And anyway, it was you who ambushed me, mate. I couldn’t know I was going to say all that, didn’t know you were springing this place on me till I got here, did I?”

“Hmm, I guess I stand corrected. Is this what married life is gonna be like, me backing down and saying you’re right all the time?”

“Yes,” Aaron told him without hesitation. “And I am always right, anyway.”

Robert grinned and kissed him. “Okay.”

“I love you. You know?”

“I know. Love you too.”

“By the way,” Aaron added after another kiss. “You remember when I said you better stick around until you’re at least eighty?” Robert was smiling at him, and nodded at the memory. “I’ve decided that’s not long enough.”

“Yeah? What’s the new target, then?”

“A hundred? Well, longer than that, even. No, the target’s forever, isn’t it. That’s what we said.”

Robert cradled Aaron’s chin in his hand, holding his gaze. “Forever,” he agreed. 

They could have got lost in each other after that, just the two of them in the corner of the room, ignoring the buzz of their wedding reception. But there was plenty of time for shutting out the rest of the world later. So they ventured out to join Chas and Liv, who were dancing with Vic and Diane. 

Aaron was saved from Chas’s demands that he dance with her when Paddy made his way to the front of the room and cleared his throat. But he looked so awkward doing it that Aaron wondered whether his apparent best man’s speech really was the least offensive option of the two. 

“Oh God,” he said under his breath, only Robert close enough to hear his reaction as Paddy prepared to speak. Robert gave him a ‘hope for the best’ smile.

“Right, er, well. I’ll keep this short,” Paddy started. “I don’t think Aaron would appreciate me rambling on, so. Although it is quite tempting to talk about his teenage years. Inviting himself to stay, eating all my bread, terrorising the neighbours…most of you will remember!” There was a ripple of laughter around the room, and Aaron rolled his eyes but found he was happy to reminisce.

“With that being said,” Paddy continued. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He met Aaron’s eye. “So I’d just like to say, to Aar—no, to my son, because as far as I’m concerned that’s who he is to me. To my son and his new husband: congratulations. And just…be happy.”

Aaron felt the tears running down his cheeks and hoped he could contain his emotions in front of everyone. Robert slipped his hand in his as everyone was led in a toast, raising their glasses in celebration of their marriage.

Afterwards Paddy approached them and Aaron pulled him into a hug. “Thank you – Dad,” he told him, the moment taking them both back to another thank you that seemed like a lifetime ago. Another day where his gratitude for this man had spilled over and the word ‘Dad’ had slipped out unannounced. 

Recovering himself by the time they straightened from the embrace, Aaron nudged him and gave him a grin. “Nice speech.”

“That’s high praise coming from you,” Paddy replied. “You look the happiest I’ve ever seen you.”

“I am. I am happy.”

“Good. Robert,” he nodded at him. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. Never knew Aaron was capable of smiling so much.” Robert could only nod back, as Paddy wandered off and left them alone again. Although the sentiment of the words was certainly not lost on him, he couldn’t help smirking at Aaron over the heavy implication that he was doing something in particular to make him happy.

“Oh I know that face,” Aaron looked amused. “You having dirty thoughts?”

“Well, the man said keep it up. Why do you think you’re smiling so much these days?” Robert raised an eyebrow suggestively. “Do you want to go and see what our room’s like, Mr Sugden?”

“Isn’t it a bit early for us to abandon our own wedding? Everyone will know what we’re doing.”

“I could not care less.”

Aaron looked at him, and then towards the door that led to the foyer of the hotel. “Alright, Mr Dingle. Lead the way.”

They were in the lift, Robert pressing the button for their floor when Aaron surprised him by wrapping his arms around his middle from behind. 

“Robert.”

“Mmm?”

“I never thought I’d get to have a day like this. And I don’t mean this place, even though I love it here. I mean…everything about today. Marrying you and being this happy. There’s always been a catch. Like, last time there was prison hanging over us, and I’m usually waiting for something to come and spoil everything but I haven’t thought about that once today. People go on about remembering their wedding day for the rest of their lives and I will – I’ll remember how it felt to become your husband, legally.”

By the time Aaron had said his piece the lift doors opened, and it took Robert longer than it would have done to make a move. He couldn’t find the words just yet, taking a key card out of his jacket pocket and reclaiming Aaron’s hand to lead him along the corridor to find their room.

As they reached the door, Robert stopped short of unlocking it in favour of holding onto Aaron by the lapels of his jacket. “Just when I think I’ve worked you out, Aaron, you go and surprise me again. So much for not being good with talking about your feelings!”

“Shut up,” Aaron was blushing, actually blushing and he stared at the floor. “You gonna open this door then or what?” His husband kissed his forehead and happily obliged, giving the younger man enough time to get over his minor embarrassment.

They walked into the room, grinning at the sight of the big double bed. Aaron moved closer to inspect it and huffed out a laugh of surprise. “Rose petals?” he asked, in much the same tone as on their first wedding day, when he had seen the way the pub had been decorated. (“Doves?” he had said while Robert internally groaned at the state of the place. He had been too worried about making things perfect to realise that to Aaron, it already was.)

Robert joined him by the bed and picked up one of the petals, as if confirming their existence had been the entire point of Aaron’s question. On the table by the window was an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne, two glasses placed next to it. There was also a card, and Aaron went to pick it up, reading it aloud.

“Congratulations Mr Sugden and Mr Dingle on your wedding. We wish you a long and happy marriage.”

He put it back down and looked at Robert. “Did you do this?”

“Did I send us a congratulations card? That would be a bit weird. Although I suppose I should be congratulating you on winning me for the rest of your life.” When Robert winked at him, Aaron shook his head.

“There’s the ego, I knew it wouldn’t be long before it put in an appearance. I won you, did I? So what’s my prize, putting up with your arrogance and your hideous taste in shirts?”

Robert made a dash to his side to poke him in the ribs for that comment, and Aaron was laughing before he even got the dig in. “You know you love my shirts, you git. And what about me, living with your milk slurping and your endless supply of black hoodies.”

“Oi, I caught you wearing one of my hoodies the other day, so watch it.”

“Must have been dreaming, mate, that never happened.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So was this down to you, then, or what?”

“What?”

“All this, the petals and the champagne.”

“Oh. Well I did ask for the best room in the hotel, and we are the grooms so I guess this is just complimentary. You feel like a glass of this stuff now?”

Aaron eyed up the bottle, then switched to eyeing up his husband instead. “Not right this second,” he replied, pulling Robert into a scorching kiss. He peeled off his husband’s jacket without breaking the contact, and Robert responded by fiddling with Aaron’s tie until it was loose enough to discard on the floor. 

They moved together until they found themselves falling back onto the bed. Robert spoke for the first time in minutes, his words transferring from his own mouth and into Aaron’s.

“Mmm?” Aaron questioned, parting from him reluctantly.

“I said, I love you.”

“And I love you. But there was definitely more to that sentence when you were mumbling it just now.”

Robert felt how Aaron had looked just outside the room - shy and reserved. He didn’t know why; in recent years he had had no problem with sharing his thoughts. Well, his Aaron-related thoughts. But today they had taken the biggest step they had ever faced together, and perhaps he was a little overwhelmed. 

“Robert? What did you say?”

Shaken out of his thoughts, he stared into Aaron’s beautiful face and realized there was no reason to hold anything back. “I love you,” he said again. “You’re everything.”

Aaron took in a sharp breath. He reached out and stroked Robert’s cheeks, his hair, fingers brushing over his ears until they reached his jaw. Then he kissed him once more.

“No,” he said softly. “This is everything.”


End file.
